Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Seismically Induced Landslides in Abruzzo (Central Italy): Morphostructural Control

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Landslide Science and Practice

  • 1939 Accesses

Abstract

Recent earthquakes show that damages due to collateral effects could, in some cases exceed the economic and social losses directly connected to the seismic shaking. Among the effects induced by the seismic energy release, landslides are one of the most significant in terms of hazard and related risk, owing to the occurrence of exposed elements.

This work analyzes the geomorphological effects, and particularly the rock falls, which occurred in the L’Aquila area during and immediately after the April 2009 earthquake. The analysis is focused mainly on the rock fall distribution related to the local morphostructural setting. As regards the rock falls, on the base of geomorphological and morphostructural analysis, the >60 cases surveyed are referable to three main morphostructural settings:

  1. 1.

    Calcareous faulted homoclinal ridges;

  2. 2.

    Calcareous rock slopes of karst landforms;

  3. 3.

    Structural scarps on conglomerates and breccias of Quaternary continental deposits.

These elements provide useful indications both at local scale, for seismic microzonation studies and seismic risk prevention, and at regional scale, for updating studies and inventory of landslides.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anzidei M, Boschi E, Cannelli V, Devoti R, Esposito A, Galvani A, Melini D, Pietrantonio G, Riguzzi F, Sepe V, Serpelloniet E (2009) Coseismic deformation of the destructive April 6, 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (central Italy) from GPS data. Geophys Res Lett 36:L17307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertini T, Bosi C (1993) La tettonica quaternaria della conca di Fossa (L’Aquila). Il Quat 6(2):293–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumetti AM, Comerci V, Di Manna P, Guerrieri L, Vittori E (2009) Geological effects induced by the L’Aquila earthquake (6 April 2009, ml = 5.8) on the natural environment. Preliminary report. Dipartimento Difesa del Suolo Servizio Geologico d’Italia. http://www.apat.gov.it/site/_files/Inqua/2009_abruzzo_earthquake_report.pdf. April 2009

  • Boncio P, Pizzi A, Brozzetti F, Pomposo G, Lavecchia G, Di Naccio D, Ferrarini F (2010) Coseismic ground deformation of the April 6th 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (central Italy, Mw 6.3). Geophys Res Lett 37:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boncio P, Pizzi A, Cavuoto G, Mancini M, Piacentini T, Miccadei E, Cavinato GP, Piscitelli S, Giocoli A, Ferretti G, De Ferrari R, Gallipoli R, Mucciarelli M, Di Fiore V, Naso G, Working Group Macroarea 3 (2011) Geological and geophysical characterization of the Paganica-San Gregorio area after the April 6, 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (Mw 6.3, central Italy): implications for site response. Boll di Geofisica Teorica e Applicata 52(3). doi:10.4430/bgta/0014

  • Boscaino G, Pipponzi G, D’Eramo A (2009) Coseismic landslides of the April 2009 L’Aquila earthquake : considerations on the PAI (Piani per l’Assetto Idrogeologico). Geoitalia 2009, Rimini, 9–11 Settembre 2009. Epitome, 3, 2009. p 175

    Google Scholar 

  • Bozzano F, Scarascia Mugnozza G, Valentini G (1997) Frane indotte da terremoti: un confronto tra gli eventi dell'Irpinia (1980) e di Kobe (1995). Atti dei Convegni Lincei 134:119–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Bozzano F, Martino S, Naso G, Prestininzi A, Romeo RW, Scarascia Mugnozza G (2004) The large Salcito landslide triggered by the 2002 Molise, Italy, earthquake. Earthq Spectra 20(S1):95–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buccolini M, Sciarra N (1989) Conoscenze geologico tecniche e distribuzione dei fenomeni franosi nella provincia di Pescara. Studi Geologici Camerti 11:23–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Burri E, Agostini S, Celico P, Iacovone D, Romano B (1995) Unità morfocarsiche della Regione Abruzzo, scala 1:200,000, Regione Abruzzo, Società Geografica Italiana, Società Speleologica Italiana, SELCA, Firenze

    Google Scholar 

  • Capolongo D, Refice A, Mankelow J (2002) Evaluating earthquake-triggered landslide hazard at the basin scale through GIS in the Upper Sele river Valley. Surv Geophy 23(6):595–625

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiarabba C, Amato A, Anselmi M, Baccheschi P, Bianchi I, Cattaneo M, Cecere G, Chiaraluce L, Ciaccio MG, De Gori P, De Luca G, Di Bona M, Di Stefano R, Faenza L, Covoni A, Improta L, Lucente FP, Marchetti A, Margheriti L, Mele F, Nichelini A, Monachesi G, Moretti M, Pastori M, Piana Agostinetti N, Piccinini D, Roselli P, Seccia D, Valoroso L (2009) The 2009 L’Aquila (Central Italy) MW6.3 earthquake: main shock and aftershocks. Geophy Res Lett 36:L18308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cinti G, Donati A, Fumanti F, Scarascia-Mugnozza G (2000) La grande frana di M. Arezzo (Abruzzo). Mem Soc Geol Ital 56:41–51

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Alessandro L, Berti D, Buccolini M, Miccadei E, Piacentini T, Urbani A (2003a) Relationships between the geological-structural framework and landslide types in Abruzzi (Central Apennine). Atti 1° Congresso Nazionale AIGA, Chieti, 19–20 Febbraio 2003. Rendina Editori, Roma, pp 255–275

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Alessandro L, Miccadei E, Piacentini T (2003b) Morphostructural elements of central-eastern Abruzzi: contributions to the study of the role of tectonics on the morphogenesis of the Apennine chain. Quat Int 101–102:115–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Alessandro L, Del Sordo L, Buccolini M, Miccadei E, Piacentini T, Urbani A (2007) Regione Abruzzo (Chap. 18). In: Rapporto sulle frane in Italia. Il Progetto IFFI, Rapporti APAT 78/2007. elaborazioni, e rapporti regionali, Risultati, pp 464–497

    Google Scholar 

  • Del Prete M, Giaccari E, Trisorio-Liuzzi G (1992) Rischio da frane intermittenti a cinematica lenta nelle aree montuose e collinari urbanizzate della Basilicata. Università della Basilicata, G.N.D.C.I., Rapporto U.O. 2.37

    Google Scholar 

  • Emergeo Working Group (2009) Evidence for surface rupture associated with the Mw 6.3 L’Aquila earthquake sequence of April 2009 (central Italy). Terra Nova 22:43–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falcucci E, Gori S, Peronace E, Fubelli G, Moro M, Saroli M, Giaccio B, Messina P, Naso G, Scardia G, Sposato A, Voltaggio M, Galli P, Galadini F (2009) The Paganica fault and surface coseismic ruptures due to the April 6, 2009 earthquake (L’Aquila, Central Italy). Seismic Res Lett 80(6):940–950

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farabollini P, Miccadei E, Piacentini T, De Pari P, Scalella G (2009) The contribution of geomorphology and Quaternary geology to the seismic prevention: examples from 2009 Abruzzi earthquake. Geoitalia 2009, Rimini 9–11 Settembre 2009. Epitome 3. p 171

    Google Scholar 

  • Galli P, Giaccio B, Messina P (2010) The 2009 central italy earthquake seen through 0.5 myr-long tectonic history of the l’Aquila faults system. Quater Sci Rev 29:3768–3789

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghisetti F, Vezzani L (1986) Carta geologica del Gruppo M. Siella-M.Camicia-M. Prena- M. Brancastello (Gran Sasso d’Italia, Abruzzo). Scale 1: 15,000, S.EL.CA., Firenze

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruppo di lavoro Microzonazione sismica area aquilana (2010) Microzonazione sismica per la ricostruzione dell’area aquilana. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Harp EL, Wilson RC (1995) Shaking intensity thresholds for rock falls and slides: evidence from 1987 Whittier Narrows and Superstition Hills earthquake strong-motion records. Bull SeismolSoc Am 85:1739–1757

    Google Scholar 

  • Keefer DK (1984) Landslide caused by earthquakes. Geol Soc Am Bull 95:406–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keefer DK (2003) Investigating landslides caused by earthquakes. a historical review. Surv Geophy 23(6):473–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keefer DK, Wasowski J, Del Gaudio V (eds) (2006) Special issue from the European geosciences union symposium on landslides induced by earthquake and volcanic activity. Eng Geol 86(2–3):85–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Miccadei E, Piacentini T, Sciarra N (2010) Seismically induced landslides caused by the earthquake of 6 April 2009 in Abruzzo Region (Central Italy). In: Williams et al (eds) Geologically active, proceedings of 11th IAEG congress, Auckland, pp 127–141. Taylor Francis, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicoletti P, Parise M, Miccadei E (1993) The Scanno rock avalanche (Abruzzi, south-central Italy). Boll Soc Geol Ital 112:523–535

    Google Scholar 

  • Paolucci G, Pizzi R, Scarascia-Mugnozza G (2001) Analisi preliminare della frana di Lettopalena (Abruzzo). Mem Soc Geol Ital 56:131–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Prestininzi A, Romeo R (2000) Earthquakes-induced ground failures in Italy. Eng Geol 58:387–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scarascia Mugnozza G, Petitta M, Bianchi Fasani G, Esposito C, Barbieri M, Cardarelli E (2006) The importance of geological model to understand and predict the life span of rockslide dams: the Scanno lake case study, Central Italy. Ital J Eng Geol Environ 1:127–132

    Google Scholar 

  • SGI Servizio Geologico d’Italia, ISPRA (2006) Carta geologica d’Italia, scala 1:50000, Foglio 359 L’Aquila. Istituto Poligrafico Zecca dello Stato, Roma

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Geotecnologie per l’Ambiente ed il Territorio, Università degli Studi “G. D’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, Chieti scalo (CH), Italy

    Enrico Miccadei, Tommaso Piacentini, Nicola Sciarra & Rosamaria Di Michele

Authors
  1. Enrico Miccadei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tommaso Piacentini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nicola Sciarra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rosamaria Di Michele
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tommaso Piacentini .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of Italy, ISPRA - Italian Institute for Environmen, Rome, Italy

    Claudio Margottini

  2. ICL - International Consortium on Landsl, Florence, Italy

    Paolo Canuti

  3. Kyoto University Uji-Campus, Uji, Kyoto, Japan

    Kyoji Sassa

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Miccadei, E., Piacentini, T., Sciarra, N., Di Michele, R. (2013). Seismically Induced Landslides in Abruzzo (Central Italy): Morphostructural Control. In: Margottini, C., Canuti, P., Sassa, K. (eds) Landslide Science and Practice. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31427-8_40

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation